The death toll in the three-storey building collapse in central Delhi's Hauz Qazi area, near Chawri Bazaar, rose to seven on Sunday after another body was recovered from the debris, with rescue operations running for more than 70 hours.
The latest deceased was identified as Luchhuman Mukhiya, 66, a resident of Jakauli in Bihar's Darbhanga. His body was shifted to LNJP Hospital.
The seven deceased are Sanjeet Kumar, Kishori Sah, Pankaj Sharma, Vipin Ram, Shantu, Dinesh Sah and Luchhuman Mukhiya. Four of the victims were residents of Bihar, while Vipin Ram lived in Mandawali, Delhi.
The building collapsed around 9:45 am on 5 November while construction work was under way. It had reached the third floor and collapsed while the roof slab was being laid.
Rescue still under way
Rescue personnel are yet to rule out the possibility of other victims being trapped in the debris.
The building owner, Saimullah alias Ayub, and three contractors, Siraj, Tajuddin and Furkan, have been arrested. The contractors were apprehended from Faridabad's Sirohi.
No sanctioned plan, police say
An FIR was registered at Hauz Qazi police station on 5 November under Sections 105, 111, 125 (a) and 125 (b), 238 (b) and 94 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, PTI reported.
The building was allegedly being constructed without the requisite approvals on a 50-square-metre plot. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi said no building plan had been sanctioned for it.
The collapse in the crowded Chawri Bazaar area has kept rescue teams at the site for more than three days, working through the debris in the hope of finding anyone still trapped.
